Whether it’s an indoor soccer field, school athletic facility, private gym or training centre, every athlete needs the right surface to train and perform at their absolute best. With fall right around the corner, now might just be the best time for facility managers to take a closer look at whether their existing flooring is ready for another busy season.
Old-style AstroTurf and traditional crumb rubber artificial fields are a thing of the past. But artificial turf has come a long way since then. Our SuperSOFT Short-pile, non-infill artificial turf offers a durable and versatile option for indoor athletic fields and training spaces, supporting everything from sprint and agility work to team practices and functional fitness. In essence, if you need a surface that suits your sporting needs. We have it.
If you’re planning an upgrade before fall, here are six things to consider when choosing artificial turf for your facility.
1. Start With How Your Facility Will Use the Space
Before choosing flooring for your indoor athletic facility, start by thinking about how the space will actually be used. For example, a school gym will likely have different demands than those of a training facility, just like an indoor soccer field will need to support different traffic and movement than a dedicated strength and conditioning space.
The versatility of indoor artificial turf makes it suitable for a wide range of sports and training activities, including:
- Indoor soccer fields
- Indoor track and field
- Batting cages
- Lacrosse
- Sled pushes
- Agility training
- Sprint tracks
- Exercise facilities.
If you have a facility that needs to accommodate multiple sports, teams or training programs then short-pile, non-infill artificial turf can provide a durable, multipurpose surface. With revolutionary SuperSOFT fibre, this surface is ideal and durable plus it can be customized with logos and lines, so it is ready when you are.
2. Consider Athlete Comfort and Performance
The way that flooring feels and performs under an athlete’s feet matters. Especially in facilities where athletes are running, jumping, changing directions or training for extended periods of time. That means that a quality surface needs to provide the perfect balance of cushioning, traction and consistency to properly support the activities that are taking place upon it.
Our special foam layer that is hidden beneath the playing surface, provides a safe-landing base that can help better absorb impact during training while still providing the grip athletes of all levels, from Olympic athletes to Timbits soccer players, need to perform dynamic movements.
The ActionBACK Foam base helps absorb shock when an athlete trains or takes a tumble during an event and the artificial grass allows both amateur and elite athletes alike the ability to practice throughout the year without having to worry about weather changing outdoor field conditions.
Anyone who has trained on old school artificial turf, may know that carpet burns, scabs and abrasions can happen if you take a tumble, this is due to its abrasive fibre construction. However, our new age SuperSOFT fibre is designed to provide a softer feel underfoot. WIth our non-infill artificial turf, we’ve also eliminated the loose rubber infill associated with traditional turf systems, helping create a cleaner, more comfortable indoor training environment.
3. Think About Durability Before the Busy Season
With schools, sports facilities and private gyms preparing for increased fall programming, durability should be an important part of the flooring decision.
The reality is that your Athletic training turf needs to handle a lot of traffic. From daily practices and training sessions to back-to-back classes and even weekend programming, your indoor athletic facilities need flooring that can stand up to consistent use without having to compromise on its performance or appearance.
When it comes time to compare artificial turf options, consider the construction and quality of the product, how much traffic it’s designed to withstand and even the warranty that backs it. A general rule of thumb is, the longer the warranty, the higher the turf quality. But it’s just as important to clarify what the warranty covers and whether the turf itself is suited to the demands of your specific athletic facility needs.
Choosing a durable surface now can help you make sure your surface is prepared for the uptick in activity that comes with the fall season and the months of indoor training that follow.
4. Create Dedicated Training Zones
Not every area of an athletic facility is used in the same way, so it makes sense that you might need more than one type of flooring. Creating different training zones within your facility, allows you to match the surface with the activity, which in turn, helps you create a more functional space for your athletes, trainers and teams that use it.
Picture splitting your facility up into a space that has dedicated sprint lanes, agility areas and sports training zones with artificial turf, while your weight training, strength and conditioning and stretching areas are supported by rubber flooring.
The type of flooring is one of the most important aspects of a safe, durable, and functional athletic training facility. Working with one flooring company can simplify and streamline the process and help with everything from determining which flooring works best in each zone to coordinating products and installation.
Perfect Surfaces offers a range of athletic turf and rubber flooring solutions, helping facilities create training spaces that are designed around how athletes will actually use them.
5. Customize the Space for Your Facility
Your athletic flooring is a massive part of your facility. It doesn’t just need to be functional; it also needs to look the part. Just because the flooring is under your feet doesn’t mean it can’t be eye-catching and contribute to the overall identity of your company.
For schools, sports organizations and private training facilities, customized artificial turf can incorporate team colours, branding and other design elements to create a more cohesive and professional training environment.
Depending on the product, artificial turf is available in multiple colours beyond traditional green, including options such as purple, red and blue. Custom logos, prefabricated lines, lanes and other markings can also be incorporated into the design, helping define different areas while giving your facility a look that feels distinctly its own.
For indoor soccer, football and other field sports, you may also want to consider a higher-density pile designed to replicate the look and feel of natural grass.
Ultimately, the right combination of colour, markings and turf style can help you create an athletic space that looks as purposeful as it performs.
6. Plan Installation and Lead Times Before Fall
Choosing the right artificial turf for your indoor athletic field is only one part of preparing your facility. Proper installation is equally important to creating a smooth and consistent surface and helping prevent issues such as lifting, peeling or separating.
Depending on your facility and how the space will be used, there might be different installation options to consider. Artificial turf can be permanently installed or, for multipurpose facilities that require greater flexibility, installed with Velcro seams that allow the turf to be removed when needed.
Installation can be quick and easy even for the novice consumer, and simple instructions can be provided by your flooring supplier on how to properly adhere each section to avoid any seams.
Timing matters too, especially when you’re working toward the start of fall programming. Product availability, delivery timelines and installation requirements should all be considered early so your flooring arrives and is ready to go before athletes return to the facility.
Get Your Facility Ready for Fall
Whether you’re upgrading a school’s athletic space, preparing an indoor sports facility for another busy season or creating dedicated training zones, the right flooring starts with understanding exactly what your unique space needs.
Perfect Surfaces offers artificial athletic turf and complementary rubber flooring solutions for facilities across Canada. With options for different sports, training activities and facility designs, our team can help you find a surface that fits your space, timeline and performance needs.
Explore our artificial athletic training turf or connect with us today to start planning your facility upgrade before the fall season gets underway!
